NCJ Number
93323
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 63 Issue: 2 Dated: (Autumn/Winter 1983) Pages: 142-154
Date Published
1983
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The findings of this study suggest that visitation policies at women's institutions which encourage frequent contact between mothers and their children in pleasant surroundings contribute to the maintenance of the mother/child relationship.
Abstract
For this study, interviews were conducted with 40 inmate mothers randomly selected from a population of about 200 women incarcerated in a correctional facility for women in a western State between June and August 1982. The facility housing the women is a converted motel located in the midtown area of a major metropolitan city. It is surrounded by an adobe-looking wall, and only the maximum security area is enclosed by a wire fence. The rooms are typical motel rooms individually decorated by the women. Children may visit with their mothers for periods ranging from a few hours in a regular visitation room up to 3 days in a room set aside for such extended visits. In addition to the 3-day visit, which is permitted once every 90 days, children may visit for an 8-hour period each month. Mothers and children spend all their time together. Seventy percent of the mothers were in contact with their children at least once a week, a considerably higher proportion than is found in previous studies conducted in more traditional correctional facilities with restrictive contact policies. Mothers who had extended and overnight visits with their children reported a greater sense of involvement in the daily routine of their children's lives, which appeared to give them a feeling of continuity in the relationship and make them more optimistic about continued parenting. The setting of the facility was also an important factor in encouraging contact between mothers and their children. While 40 percent of the mothers thought visitation should be permitted regardless of the prison setting, an additional one-third said they allowed their children to visit primarily because of the appearance and environment of the facility. Also, a number of mothers stated that the chance to have extended visits with their children acted as an incentive for them to obey prison rules. Further, they felt that other women in the facility responded favorably to the presence of children and noted there had been no serious incidents regarding children. Ten references are listed.